Earth Day falls on Wednesday, April 22 this year, and Kacey Musgraves is celebrating with a new rendition of her song “Oh, What a World,” a psychedelic love letter to the planet. The Earth Day edition of the song, originally from Musgraves’ 2018 album Golden Hour, updates the production to a more acoustic sound, adding some bongos and a driving acoustic guitar along with some background bird calls. Musgraves dedicated the new version of the song to frontline workers during the coronavirus pandemic.
“There is a lot to feel downhearted about on this Earth Day,” the Texas native said in a statement, via Pitchfork. “Everyone and everything feels out of balance. People are suffering and the future is uncertain. In the face of a pandemic that has brought cities to their knees, a song can feel small. A melody can seem insignificant. This is a global moment of acknowledgment and respect for the power of nature and for so many of us – extreme challenges and sadness. But in the midst of all the loss and uncertainty there are signs everywhere of human compassion and renewal. The earth is healing. Bluer skies hang over China and Los Angeles. Clearer water and a positive effect on wildlife is being seen. In spite of all its troubles, it’s still a wild, beautiful world and if you need proof, it’s out there. You just might have to look in a different corner of the sky.”
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The Grammy winner continued by praising workers on the front lines of the virus and shared that she hopes her music can lift others during this uncertain time. “Right now, there are so many brave people that deserve Medals of Honor: the nurses, doctors, grocers, the delivery and truck drivers, cashiers, gas station attendants, the scientists, restaurant workers, the single parents, and SO many others,” she said. “I’m just a songwriter but my hope is that if I bring the light I have in my spirit to the table, maybe it could be a form of energy that lifts someone else’s spirit for a moment. Oh, What a World — dedicated to our planetary home and all the quiet heroes this Earth Day: you’re the northern lights in our skies.”
In addition to releasing the song, Musgraves created the Kacey Musgraves Earth Day Fund in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund, which will support the WWF’s mission “to conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth.”
